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Like any artisan, my craft has been guided and influenced by my mentors.

Robert L. Mattingly


Bob Mattingly


I met Bob Mattingly in the summer of 1978. I had been taking classical guitar lessons for about 5 years and had pretty much come to the conclusion that I would never be able to play the darn thing. Woodworking had long been my hobby and I had begun to consider building a guitar. At that time, the only book I could find on the subject was "Classic guitar construction" by Irvine Sloane.

My guitar teacher told me about a fellow in Long Beach who made guitars. I checked around and found out that his name was Bob Mattingly and that he owned "the World of Strings" music store in Long Beach, CA. My first encounter with Bob was quite a surprise. He had a butch haircut and looked like a Missouri farmer. He was hunched over his bench chiseling on the neck of a guitar he was working on. I introduced myself and said I would like to learn how to build guitars and asked if he would teach me. Well, he straighten up, tossed the chisel down, and said in a rather gruff voice, "have you any idea how many @&*#!% people ask me that every week?" I decided I'd better change my tact, so I quit my teacher and began taking guitar lessons in his store. After about two months he warmed up a little and began showing me a few things. Bob introduced me to Jim Long, a friend of his who Bob was helping to organize a guitar building class at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA. I took one of the first classes instructed by Mr. Long and learned the basics of guitar making. However it was during the many years of time spent in Bob's shop that I learned and refined the techniques of fine luthiery.

Bob Mattingly was a dedicated and prolific builder. He began building in the early '60s and was mainly self taught. In 1971 he traveled to Spain visiting the shops of many of the great builders of that time. Bob had much admiration for Miguel Rodriguez and was delighted to have spent a few days in the shop with the Maestro himself.

Bob Mattingly built over 700 guitars. We remained friends until his untimely death in 1992. He was 56 years old.


Miguel Rodriguez and Bob Mattingly


Tom Blackshear


Tom Blackshear


My association with Tom Blackshear began in 1996. I had read an article in one of the guitar publications about his method of bracing and voicing the soundboard. I contacted Tom and he asked me to send him a drawing of my bracing pattern. Tom returned it with his markings changing the pattern ever so slightly, along with comments explaining the reasons for the changes. On my next guitar, I incorporated Tom's recommendations, and noticed that the sound had opened up, and was more full and balanced than on my previous instruments.

Earlier this year, I spent four days with Tom and his family in San Antonio, TX. I had brought a guitar with me and we went over it from top to bottom. Tom showed me his unique method of tuning the top. He freely taught me his brace shaping and polishing techniques, mold and jig making, along with setting the neck pitch angle. I came away with a wealth of information preserved in notes, photos, and cassette tapes. I have great respect for Tom as a builder and value him as a friend.

Tom Blackshear's desire to assure the continuation of the Spanish style of guitar construction has led him to share information with others builders just getting started. He offers information freely though E-mail. Tom now offers Guitar Building Programs in his shop. For more information, please contact Tom Blackshear at tguitars@texas.net